[JLM]

While not in your desired length.  Take a look at TotalDac USB cables.  First cable to have a dramatic effect upon installation.  It is not coming out!  A little more dough than your budget.

I'd read of your great enthusiasm for these cables, but being too short and too expensive, so why would I look (I did again BRM out of respect for your opinion)?  Note that several USB cables, including the Straightwire USBF-link, have some sort of filters too.

[jarcher]

Im with Scotty - noticeable differences between USB cables, with XLO Ultra Plus and Wireworld Starlight 7 being the best affordable USB cables I've heard, but best to demo for yourself with your equipment with a helpful dealer who'll let you home demo.

On a side note : if you can best results will be with USB cables 2M max. I'd avoid going 4-5M your thinking if possible. With the shorter lengths you'll better guarantee sound quality and stability.

P.s. If Hegel HD12 is as good or better than HD11 I have (among others), it would be a good choice. Hegel is just recently getting the attention it deserves in the USA.

[robcentola]

I'll jump in:

The REGEN from Uptone Audio looks interesting. From what  gather, it will shorten the differences between cables. They're just starting to ship and I'll be curious to hear impressions.

From the website:

The UpTone Audio USB REGEN just might be the next big leap for computer audio.

The USB REGEN takes the digital audio stream from your computer or other music streaming device, and generates a completely new USB data signal to feed to your DAC. It accomplishes this by combining a carefully chosen USB hub chip with an ultra low-noise regulator and low-jitter clock. Importantly, it does so with ideal impedance matching—right at the input of your DAC.

If you are familiar with the variations in sound quality that come from different computer configurations, USB cables, and power supplies (no, "bits are bits" really does not apply when pursuing the audio summit), then you will immediately recognize the often dramatic effect that the REGEN can have on the the connection you feel with the music.

Although the REGEN does not eliminate all sound quality differences between USB cables in a high-end system, it significantly reduces those differences. John Swenson has written about how the PHY chips and processors at the input of every USB DAC (even those with galvanic isolation) are sensitive to "packet noise modulation" and ground-plane noise—caused by poor signal integrity and impedance mis-matching. Every USB audio source (computer or streamer) and cable causes this, every DAC is affected by this—and the REGEN is the cure.

The USB REGEN's secondary function is that it disconnects the computer's noisy 5 volt bus power coming down the USB cable, and provides clean 5VBUS on its output--for DACs that need it—via a second ultra low-noise regulator.

From all the time we have spent listening to the REGEN in our systems we can say that it is exceeding our expectations. Often it sounds like you are listening to a different DAC! Of course the effect will vary some by computer/DAC system, but we hear positive differences even with small systems. The improvement is different than with a power supply or computer optimizations—but perhaps larger.

Regardless of whether you are feeding your USB DAC from a from a stock computer, a fully-optimized music server, or a streamer/renderer (Auralic Aries, Bryston, Moon Audio, SOtM sMS-100, etc.), the REGEN has the potential to carry your music system to a new level.

The USB REGEN kit includes:

a) the REGEN itself in an all black with silver-printed aluminum case (57 x 46 x 18mm); Input is USB 'B' jack, Output is USB 'A' jack, DC jack is 5.5mm x 2.1mm.

b) the best spec'ed and sounding 22 watt/7.5V/2.93A (overkill) tabletop (93 x 54 x 36mm) SMPS we could find (use a nice linear if you want—in the range of 6-9V/1.5A is fine; or even 12V if you are certain that your DAC is not deriving much power from USB bus); If you own an UpTone JS-2 LPS, then you can consider using one of its outputs—set to 7V—to power the REGEN very nicely!

c) an 18-inch long Volex 18awg power cord to go from the SMPS to the wall (get fancy if you like, or if you are overseas use a power cord with locally appropriate plug);

d) a male/male USB A/B solid adapter plug (for hanging the REGEN right from the back of your DAC; maybe stick a block of something under it if you feel it needs support);

e) a 6-inch male/male USB A>B cable if things are too tight around your DAC's USB input or you just don't want to use the solid adapter.

f) a 4-year, transferrable warranty.

[Big Red Machine]

I'd read of your great enthusiasm for these cables, but being too short and too expensive, so why would I look (I did again BRM out of respect for your opinion)?  Note that several USB cables, including the Straightwire USBF-link, have some sort of filters too.

Because you might be swayed to shorten your length and spend a little more money on your first try .  My take is that most of the cables you will look at within your budget will pretty much perform the same, so pick one and try it to get the journey started.  I doubt anyone can recommend a cable at any price that is guaranteed to make you smile.  All we can do is give you our experiences with our gear or read along with you about other cables none of us have tried.

What cable are you leaning toward now?  I can loan you my old 2 meter Wireworld cable to play with if you'd like.

[JLM]

BRM,

Trying to not spend more (or turn my man cave into an Apple store) while honoring my wife (she helped buy my MacBook) which I really want to be able to use from "the" near-field listening chair.  But even a 4 meter USB cable to a quality hi-res DAC should be a huge improvement over my ancient DAC fed by a $6, 35 foot optical cable and still leaves the door open for adding a mini or Auralec Arias later on next to the DAC with a more suitable USB/coax cable. 

Thanks for the offer for the cable, I'll think about it.


robcentola,

Looks like the REGEN is interesting, but would like to know more about it and are currently sold out anyway.

[macrojack]

Here I go - Probably offering a stupid idea - but couldn't you run USB to a nearby DAC and then send the signal the rest of your long distance over interconnects, preferably balanced lines? Put the DAC on the floor under your chair or keep the laptop on top of an end table next to your chair with the DAC hiding on a lower shelf. Line level signal over your 25-30 feet would travel just fine, no? The only problem I envision is perhaps in getting AC to power your DAC. Maybe there's a battery powered DAC you could use.

[jtwrace]

robcentola,

Looks like the REGEN is interesting, but would like to know more about it and are currently sold out anyway.

Actually there are ~18 left according to this post.  If you send Alex an email you could probably get one. 

[*Scotty*]

Never mind.

[jtwrace]

It appears to me that given JLM's budget is $3500, 

minus one "0"

[gregfisk]

Actually there are ~18 left according to this post.  If you send Alex an email you could probably get one.

Make that 17 left, I just purchased one. Should arrive in 2 to 3 days.

[jtwrace]

Make that 17 left, I just purchased one. Should arrive in 2 to 3 days.

Nice.  I look forward to it too. 

[Ern Dog]

Well my Black Cat USB cable arrived today and 2 seconds later I was listening to it.  First impression is that it has higher resolution than my AQ Carbon.  It does this without sounding bright or dry.  Also notice more shimmer and sparkle on the higher notes, which is a plus.  So far, I'm liking it.  We'll see if it improves after some break in.

[JLM]

You guys are making me rethink my USB cable length.  I can go as short as 1.2 meters (4 feet), but it puts the front of the DAC right at the end of my ottoman which seems goofy.

Black Cat (1.23 meter) + Regen fits my budget.   

[Ern Dog]

JLM-  if you decide to get the Black cat, I got mine from The Cable Co. For $99.


The more I listen to it, I'm realizing that the treble is superb, but the bass has shrunk a tad compared to the Carbon.  Hopefully it will fill out soon.

[jtwrace]

You guys are making me rethink my USB cable length.  I can go as short as 1.2 meters (4 feet), but it puts the front of the DAC right at the end of my ottoman which seems goofy.

Black Cat (1.23 meter) + Regen fits my budget.   

Going for a REGEN is a very smart move IMO. 

[jimbones]

Ultrafi!!

[Ern Dog]

Jtwrace, I just read your thread on the Regen and was wondering the price?

[poseidonsvoice]

Jtwrace, I just read your thread on the Regen and was wondering the price?

$175.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=131183.msg1420354#msg1420354

Best,
Anand

[krikor]

Jtwrace, I just read your thread on the Regen and was wondering the price?

Their website just went live last week:
http://uptoneaudio.com/

[Ern Dog]

Black Cat update:  I've been listening to it a few hours almost everyday for a week and it sounds better than when I first heard it.  The bass has filled out substantially.  I'm shocked at how much better this USB cable is versus my beloved Audioquest Carbon!  It is better in every way.  Today I put the AQ back in and the bass sounds undefined and the highs are a little dull and everything sounds sluggish and murky and flat.  I never would have described the Carbon this way.  A matter a fact I loved how the carbon sounded, but now after the hearing the black cat there is no turning back.  It's also way more dimensional and dynamic.  And the kicker is that it costs less!  Thanks for the excellent recommendation.

FYI- I'm using it in between my Salk streamer and MHDT Stockholm dac.